Clarian 'Television Days' LP

£20.99

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Clarian first came to our attention via his Supplemental Facts excellent work in synth-pop duo Footprintz. But as his new single (remixed by Tiga and Michael Mayer, the latter, this 10-track sonic soundtracks is aiming in a much different direction. ‘Lost Again’ is underpinned by melodies that Todd Terje would be proud of, the dreamy ‘Tulum’ has Sasha-esque keys anyone in Mexico would love the unearth; and ‘Sleepers’ and the title track could be secret Tame Impala singles. ‘Space Zap Forever’ and ‘West Hollywood’, on the other hand, set the controls for the heart of the Hollywood sign. Or should that be the sun instead? 8/10 Mixmag

‘Television Days’ is a stunning arrangement of ambient and synth pop influenced soundscapes, and one I cannot recommend enough. If you like the Stranger Things soundtrack you need this in your collection.' DECODED

Ever enigmatic and distinctive, Clarian, a songwriter and sound engineer from Montreal, first gained notable recognition by the music scene via his former work in synth pop duo Footprintz, releasing several highly-acclaimed singles as well as ‘Escape Yourself’, an album project that was co-produced with Ewan Pearson and released via Visionquest.

Since the release of the aforementioned long-player, Clarian has continued his sonic development, maintaining his imaginative semblance channelling this into his own signature recording techniques and collaborations. With releases on labels such as Kompakt, Turbo, Rumors and Founders of Filth, Clarian has as well collaborated and engineered on several warmly received releases with Guy Gerber, Tiga, and recently Felix Da Housecat, and Jamie Principle on FOF's debut release Vol 1.

Following an “unusual winter in Mexico in which he was exiled by a local cult”, Clarian turns his attention to his debut LP (under his own name), ‘Television Days’. The album, (influenced by a Casio found under the bed of an Airbnb), was created in Berlin during a tumultuous period and follows the tragic adventures of Kevin Jones, a down-and-out television scriptwriter living in west Hollywood who’s obsessed with Carl Sagan's cosmos and believes he’s being contacted by ancient astronauts.

This characteristically ineffable theme is matched by the album’s equally passionate and otherworldly style, with the long, drawn-out synths on opener ‘Dedication to Sagan’ and the retro-inducing soundscape on ‘Lost Again’ offering a fitting example of what’s to come over the album’s 10 tracks.

Other highlights include the LP’s first single ‘Under the Gun’, a track bursting with lush lo-fi synths and percussion, fused with the almost breathless, reverbed vocal performance from Clarian that nods in the direction of 80’s synth-pop works of Mute Records. There’s also the atmospheric and colourful ‘Tulum’, the hazy synth-driven ‘Down and Out’, the dystopian sounding ‘Mote of Dust’ and the album’s closer, ‘Television Days’, a track where Clarian’s dreamy vocals blend particularly well with the melancholic percolating beats.